Flower-support for caskets.



E.L.BBRG. FLOWER SUPPORT PGB. CASKETS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 190B.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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E. L.' BERG.

FLOWER SUPPORT POB UASKETB.

PPLmATIoN FILED JULY 1'1, 190s.

917,839. Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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EDWIN L. BERG, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

FLOWER-SUPPORT FOB CASKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Application iled July 17, 1908. Serial No. 444,092.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. BERG, citizen of the United States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flower-Supports for Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in burial apparatus, and the object of the invention is an improved stand which is designed to be applied to a casket to support the flowers customarily placed thereon, which is adapted to be sustained in a peculiar manner in the mouth of the grave, to temporarily close the same when the casket is lowered into position therein, and which is susceptible of being adjusted for use in connection with caskets of different sizes, and is capable of being telescoped when not desired for use, so as to occupy a comparatively small space and be conveniently handled.

Vith this and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that l shall hereinafter fully describe, and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved flower stand Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 3 Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the parts of the stand telescoped; Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the stand applied to a casket; and, Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the application of the stand to a grave.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views'of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

My improved stand or Fewer-supporting framework embodies a central portion consisting of a plurality of substantially parallel hollow longitudinal bars 1 and pairs of transverse sleeves 2 rigidly secured to the bars near the respective ends thereof. In Order to extend the framework longitudinally, l provide a plurality of rods 3 which have their inner ends mounted in the longitudinal bars 1 and are arranged to telescope therewith, with their outer ends secured to and held in properly spaced relation by transversely disposed hollow end bars 4. 5 designates the corner bars which have transversely disposed arms mounted in and arranged to telescope with the respective end bars 4, and which have their other or longitudinal arms telescoping with substantially hollow longitudinal side bars 6. These side bars have a sliding connection with and are supported upon arms 7 which are mounted at their inner ends in the respective sleeves 2 and have their outer ends arranged to extend laterally beyond the side bars 6 and preferably crooked, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

ln the practical use of my improved stand, the latter is placed upon the casket, being first adjusted to the size thereof, and the flowers are placed upon the stand in the customary way. Then it is desired to remove the lid at the head of the coffin, it obviously becomes necessary to shift the iiower-supporting framework longitudinally thereof, so that one end proiects beyond the foot of the cofiin, as shown. ln order to support this end, l provide the same with legs 8 that are pivotally connected at one end to outwardly disposed lugs 9 formed upon the corresponding corner bars 5, and which are adapted to extend downwardly to rest upon the floor or other supporting surface, as shown, said legs being susceptible of being swung upwardly when not desired for use, and having their free ends arranged for engagement with spring catches 10 carried by the side bars 6, so as to be maintained securely in inoperative position. Before the casket is lowered into the grave, the arms 7 are extended laterally, so as to project beyond the side bars 6 and be adapted to bear against the surface of the ground on opposite sides of the grave, or to engage the coping or rim, if the latter is constructed with such, and thus suspend the flowersupporting framework in the mouth of the grave to temporarily close the same as the casket is lowered into position.

From the above description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be app arent that l have provided a simple, durable and efficient construction of flower stand which is adapted to support fiowers in the mouth of the grave, to screen the casket from view as it is lowered into position therein,

- ering of the casket therein.

which is susceptible of being telescoped so as to be substantially the same in sizeA as the central portion of the framework, and which consists of comparatively few parts that may be easily and cheaply manufactured and readily assembled.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim is:

, A flower stand ofther character vde scribed, comprising a supporting framework designed to rest upona casket, yand means carried bythe framework for sustaining, the same in the mouth of a grave, upon the low- `rA flo fer stand of the yeharaeter de? scribed, comprising'an eXtensible framework designed to rest upon a casket and means carried by the framework for sustainingl the saine the mouth of a grave, upon the lowering ofthe caskettherein.V

3. l A iiower stand of the character ,def scribed, comprising a supporting framework designedto rest upon acasket and embody-- ing acentral portion, means .carried by the centralportion for extending theysa'me lat-` erally and longitudinally, and means also carried by the framework for sustaining the saine in the mouth of the grave, upon the lowering ofthe casket therein. A

4. A ilower stand of the lcharacter described, comprising a supporting framework designed to rest upon a casket and embodying a central portion andside and end eX'- tensions carriedby the central portion, and arms valso carried bythe central portion and adapted to project beyond the margin of the framework, as and for the purpose specified,

5. A flower stand ofthe characterlde scribed, comprising a supporting framework consisting of a central portion embodyii'i'gl a plurality of substantially parallel hollow longitudinal bars, rods mounted at their innerendsin4 the longitudinal bars and arranged to telescope therewith, transversely disposed .end bars secured to the, outer ends of the rods, corner bars having longitudinal andtransverse arms, the latter being mounted in and telescoping with the end bars, longitudinally disposed sidebars in which the longitudinal arms of the Ycorner. bars are mounted to telescope; therewith, and means carried by the central portion of theframework for sustaining the same in themouth of a grave, as and for the purpose specifiedd,

6.- A flower stand ofwthecharactendef scribed: `compiising a, sup porting framework consisting of al central Iportion embodying a plurality of substantially. parallehhollow longitudinal barsE and pairs; of :transverse sleeves secured ,t h eret o,` rodsmonntedwat their inner ends in the l o ng itu :linal ,bars` and arranged to ltelescope therewith, transversely disposed vend bars secured to the,outer ends of the rodskcorrier bars having longitudinal and tmsrese arms, the lettrbeinsimounted in andtelescopingwith` the end bars,.longi tudinally disposed side barsin lwhich the longitudinal arms of` the corn er barsare' mounted to. telescopeA therewith, .and .arms having their inner ends mounted in and telescoping with the respectivesleeyes and having a `sliding connection with the corresponde ing side, bars, saida;r11ri's =bei'ng adapted to be extended laterally beyond: the side lbarsf In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of twoywitnesses., ,1

EDWIN L.V BERG.

Witnesses:

F. G. .WILSONJ WM. BERG.

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